diff --git a/server/db-schema-check.js b/server/db-schema-check.js
index 0b76471..1c00d3b 100644
--- a/server/db-schema-check.js
+++ b/server/db-schema-check.js
@@ -235,15 +235,21 @@ async function ensureTable(tableName, tableSchema) {
 }
 
 async function checkAndFixDatabase() {
-  const envPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '.env');
-  if (!fs.existsSync(envPath)) return;
+  // Check for DB host to see if we have configuration (could be in .env or environment)
+  if (!process.env.MYSQL_HOST && !fs.existsSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', '.env'))) {
+    console.log('[Database Integrity] No configuration found, skipping check.');
+    return false;
+  }
 
   try {
     for (const [tableName, tableSchema] of Object.entries(SCHEMA)) {
       await ensureTable(tableName, tableSchema);
     }
+    return true;
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('[Database Integrity] Startup schema check failed:', err.message);
+    // Rethrow to allow caller to decide if this is fatal
+    throw err;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 6279052..dcbdc6a 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -1418,7 +1418,16 @@ async function start() {
   try {
     console.log('🔧 Initializing services...');
     // Ensure DB is ready before starting anything else
-    await checkAndFixDatabase();
+    try {
+      const dbFixed = await checkAndFixDatabase();
+      if (dbFixed) {
+        // Re-run the local checkDb() to update isDbInitialized and other status variables
+        await checkDb();
+      }
+    } catch (dbErr) {
+      console.warn('⚠️ Database initialization check encountered an error:', dbErr.message);
+      // We don't necessarily crash here, but users will see the setup screen if isDbInitialized is false
+    }
     
     // Start services
     latencyService.start();